Psychological Thriller Short Stories

Meet Catherine and Erin. The relationship is complicated and sometimes toxic. When they invite another friend into their life, they discover that, of the three, only one of them can survive. Who will outlive the dysfunction?

Susie has a humdrum life working in an airport coffee shop, but it doesn’t stop her from having big dreams. When the planes are grounded, life changes for her after she accepts a new job and a deal that puts her face to face with a serial killer. Who killed Shawn Davis? That’s the question Susie has to answer if she wants a better paycheck.

Meet Jeff Case before his world explodes. Former soldier. Defender of the innocent. Case may have left a war zone, but he soon discovers that the streets of America are just as dangerous. It was kill or be killed in combat, but Case is ready to turn his back on his military career and start a new life with his wife, Becky. During a final interview for his first civilian job, Case steps in to help a woman in danger. It is the catalyst that kick-starts the day from hell. A day that Case and Becky may not survive.

The short story Voices follows Michael, a very successful business man. He loses each of his wives after they absurdly claim they can hear or talk to the spirits in the house. Michael is dragged through turmoil until he confronts the voices. Voices is loosely based on a true encounter.

Otra vez habían llegado las mismas estaciones mortuorias y aburridas de cada año al pueblo de Tulluc (Francia) de 1800. Todos se perdían en sus interminables rutinas mediocres, los mismos días, los mismos rostros, los mismos excesos sodomitas, toda una copia de la copia del pasado. Para el viejo Turett que había vivido en ese pueblo por 55 años, aquello era pan de cada día, pero no para su hermosa hija Minerve de 16 primaveras, que añoraba viajar a todas las ciudades de Francia, para conocer el amor.

Everyday I watch Johnny walk home from the bus stop, and everyday I watch him be tortured...it stops today.

Si tratta di un racconto lungo. Un facchino uccide e deruba un compagno di sbornie. Compie poi, sulla spinta del senso di colpa, una serie di errori che porteranno al suo smascheramento e al suo arresto. Si avverte l'influenza sulla narrazione di Zola e del naturalismo. Si avvertono, inoltre, echi kafkiani e dostoevskijani, ma sopratutto traspare la passione dell'autore per l'analisi psicologica.

Este relato corto aparece como leído antes de irse a dormir por el Sr.Samuel Pickwick, en los divertidos "Papeles póstumos del club Pickwick". La esencia de la historia es la de un hombre que sabiéndose loco, por uno de esos regalos con que la genética a veces nos sorprende, decide ocultar su locura a los ojos de todos. Como es un hombre de gran patrimonio, la relación con él es envidiada por todos y una familia en especial, muy pobre, decide que su hija se case con él, a pesar que ella está enamorada de un muchacho de su edad.

This story is told as a series of journal entries from a woman who is on forced rest as a treatment for hysteria following the birth of her child. As was common in the time, she is forbidden from any work or "strenuous" tasks and is left to sit alone most of her days without mental stimulation, trapped in a room and a marriage that are not fulfilling her. The woman's isolation and mental state cause her to believe that there is a woman stuck in the wallpaper of her room.

Dana Johansen is being watched. Someone has been following his every move for months. Each month that's passed, they have been getting closer. He doesn't know who they are or what they want. He just knows that they are after him. Now, they're in his house. It's been invaded. If he leaves, the visitor will follow. He's not sure what to do. One thing is certain - if Dana doesn't do something, the visitor will. The Visitor is the first story in The Dark Corner miniseries, a collection of supernatural, dark fantasy short stories, novelettes, and novellas.

Two lucid dreamers meet in recurring dreams, fall in love, and conceive a dream baby; but the unreality of the dream world leads them to distrust each other - with nightmarish results. A paranoid exploration of two minds dreaming the same dream, and fighting to control it.

After 10 years of marriage, Mike and Emilia's relationship falls apart after Emilia admits to having an affair - an affair with a man who gave her HIV. Once Mike finds out what she's done, he will go to any length to ensure she dies a slow, painful death, just like the one he's sure his wife has sentenced him to.

Psychiatrist Dr. Renee Conway has taken on a new patient: Kevin Reynolds, the local hero who ran into a burning building to save a young family from certain death. When the rescue goes horrifically wrong, a boy is dead and Kevin suffers excruciating burns. Plagued with nightmares and left with a horribly disfigured face, Kevin finds celebrity its own torture.

When you're only five years old the world is held together by strange and mysterious things like zippers. And the greatest mystery is what ants do when they go down in the ground. Trying to follow the ants, Johnny opened the zipper that turned the world inside out.

Claire Delaney is a typical young teenage girl who likes nothing more than reading the latest gossip about what the celebs have been up to. Her ultimate dream is to become a famous A-list star, but without any real talent to speak of a dream it must remain - according to her mother, at least. Things aren’t so clear-cut these days, though, and one does not necessarily need to be a skilled actress, singer or model to become famous. Sometimes the stars align and people get what they wish for...but is Claire truly prepared for the consequences?

A robbery has recently gone awry in the quaint town of Evergreen. Due to Gretchen's sadistic boyfriend, Cliff, they have taken a hostage. However, the events that unfold next will challenge their sanity.

Era otoño cuando se encontró en el interior de su habitación el cadáver de Margherita Romeo, bella joven de modales agraciados y sencillos. Las indagaciones de los investigadores se concentran uno de sus admiradores, Matteo Canali. Este, al tratar de explicar los motivos de su ajenidad al caso, acabara por enfrentarse a los aspectos más evasivos del amor, del universos entre los dos sexos, de las relaciones, de las rivalidades y de las consecuencias que el destino nos puede reservar.

This story explores the constant rivalry between intellect and sexuality. Time, as a relative dimension, is jumbled as a technique to explore this fascinating rivalry in more realistic depth. Frank's writing has been praised by readers as “engrossing,” “gritty and entertaining,” “colorful and authentic,” “fast-paced,” “intriguing,” “fun and complex,” “very hard to put down,” “smart, stylish, and fun,” and “seductive.”

Il professore universitario Tal dei Tali, corre per una strada nel cuore della notte. Sembra sia molto spaventato, ma a suo dire la fuga è dovuta al troppo coraggio, un coraggio così grande da averlo portato a trovarsi faccia a faccia con dei brutti ceffi e finire incastrato tra le maglie della giustizia. Il professore ci spiega perché nella vita non si scappa mai abbastanza. "La paura del coraggio" è un monologo che fa parte della raccolta "Dodici monologhi" di Luigi Arnaldo Vassallo.

A young man's desperate search for his biological mother leaves more questions than answers. After a solid lead takes him halfway across the country, the woman he encounters leaves a bad taste in his mouth.